Broken
by Vynno
Summary: sequel to Ranma's unwanted efforts. r&r plz.
1. Prolouge

A few weeks later...

Ranma was in the dojo training with Akane. Akane had gotten a lot better and was now able to keep up with Ranma a lot more and is able to read his moves, but that doesn't mean that she quiet comes out on top yet. She still has a ways to go before she could beat Ranma in a sparing was lying on her back and was disappointed in herself for the millionth time today and was sick and tired of her getting beat by Ranma all the time. Something needed to change but that change won't happen today.

"This is disappointing,Akane. I would expect a lot more from you." He said with his arms folded across him chest and turned away from her.

"Fine how about this."

She came up with a punch but unfortunately for her, he caught her fist. Then he turned around while still holding her fist and smiled at her and she didn't like it.

"Don't forget that I can read all of your moves better than you can read mine."

"Really did you see this coming?"

She leaned forward into the punch and used all of her power to flip him on his back and she sat on top of him smiling down at him. Ranma was in complete shock that she was able to flip him let alone beat him but that's why you can't under-estimate anyone.

"Good job. You beat me."

"I know I did. How does it feel to lose to a girl?"

"I don't know. how is it suppose o feel."

"Humiliating."

"I thought that was only in public? But I'm happy for you. If you can beat me than you can beat anyone."

"I know."

Just then Akane leaned down and kissed him softly. She hasn't kissed him in so long and it felt so god to her. Ranma felt the same way she did and didn't want her to stop. He loved the touch of her lips on his. As blissful as it was, it should have been made illegal.

"You know what will happen if your dad sees this." He said pulling away from her.

"I know. He'll kill you if we don't get back to training, but it's not like we're going to get caught."

"Yeah..your dad can be pretty dense at times."

"I know now stop talking." She started kissing him again and didn't care who saw them or not. Just then he door slowly opened and Akane got a bad chill up her spine. She pulled away from Ranma and saw Nabiki standing in the doorway leaning on the side of it watching them.

"What do you want?" Akane asked hotly.

"Oh nothing really. Just checking in on my sister and my soon to be brother. Seeing how you guys are...behaving."

Akane stood up and waled over to her.

"DO you really think I believe a word that you say anymore?"

"But I'm your sister and-"

"Don't give me that crap. I know what you want. You're not going to get Ranma as long as I'm alive"

"We'll see about that. We both know that when I want something, I get it."

Then she turned and walked away. With a smile so deadly that it could have taken life from everything around her. Akane was more on her toes about Nabiki than ever. She was not going to give up until she had what she wanted and Ranma was that thing that she wanted. Just then she felt hands wrap around her waist and felt a little calmer. Ranma kissed her temple as a way of saying that it was going to be ok but something told her that something big was going to happen and very soon.


	2. Ashtryck's warnings part one

"Don't let her get to you Akane, she's just taunting you."

"No she's serious and you don't know how vindictive Nabiki can be about things Ranma. She hasn't done anything to you to make her not trust you."

"She lied to you and me. That's a good enough reason me."

Just then, the blond-hair green-eyed beauty know as Ashtryck came walking around the corner with nothing but a pair of dark-washed jeans on and a towel on his head that he was using to dry his hair. He quickly noticed Akane and put on his flirty and non-resistible charms. He was the same as always the only difference was that he and Akane were on pretty good terms and in the front and back of his mind, he knew that he was a lot better than Ranma. Ranma saw him before Akane could really notice him and got really mad.

"Good morning babe. How are you on this fine day cuz I feel like a million bucks now that I got to see you." Ashtryck said in his usual type of greeting to Akane, and her usual response was giggling that he seemed to love so much. Ranma was ready to kill him but he felt like if he let her go then Ashtryck would snatch her away and would go off to some foreign country that Ranma couldn't find if he used the world's best GPS.

"What do you want this time dirt bag?" Ranma asked hotly.

"*Guten Morgen* to you too Ranma. Actually, I need to talk to you anyway."

"About what? Your honeymoon with Akane?"

"Since you don't want to listen to me, all I have to say is...when the birds are left alone in the nest, the older one will dominate all. Goodbye."

"Don't leave me with some stupid riddle and expect me to know what you're saying."

Ashtryck stopped in his tracks and didn't turn to face Ranma, but the tone of his voice said it all.

"Ranma, I know that you and I got off on a bad foot but think about what I just said and take it into deep consideration and you will understand."

Ranma nodded and was understanding somewhat of what he was saying but he was still lost in a way. He was beginning to trust him on certain things but lately, he's been throwing these weird riddles at him and the only things that he could piece together were it had something to do with Akane, Nabiki and him. Ranma knew that something was going on but he still was going to do a little research of his own.

"What was he talking about Ranma?" Akane asked. He looked at her searching for something to tell her but he didn't want to tell her the truth either.

"Nothing. Don't worry about it."

"Just tell me or I can always go and ask Ashtryck." Ranma blushed a little and had no other chose but to tell her.

"Ashtryck is trying to tell me something. I don't know what it is quiet yet but I'm pretty sure that he's going to just come out and tell me."

"What if it's just a trap or something?"

"What if it's not? I'm going to have to trust him on this one Akane no matter what. He knows something and he can't tell but he's going to."


	3. Starting the puzzle

"What was that whole thing about?"

"What whole thing?"

"Don't act stupid with me,the whole thing with you and Ash just now."

"Really? You gave that douche a nickname?" Ranma asked with a look as though he were sick.

"Yes and don't change the subject, answer the question."He cold hear how serious her voice was and he was not going to keep anything from her. He was just going to tell her everything that he knew and nothing less.

"I'm not really sure what's going on myself but 'Ash', as you call him, has been giving me hints and I'm trying to piece them all together but I do know that it has something to do with the four of us." Ranma was a lot more confused now that he was talking to Akane about it. He was now going and trying to keep up with what was going on.

"So...you guys are like teaming up and doing you're own little investigation on what's going on?"

"Something like that but he's doing a lot more than me but he knows something and can't really talk that much."

"What makes you say that?"

"Because he would have come straight out and told me. That's how I know."

"How do you that he just doesn't just want to tell you everything at once?"

"Akane you know him as well as I do, if Ashtryck was going too say something he never beats around the bush about it. Think about it, I think Nabiki is holding something over him."

"Maybe, she's good at things like that. But what would she have to hold against him?"

"None of us know enough about him to hold anything against him. She has something that he wants and that she's willing to give him."

"What do you think that is?"

"You."

Ranma was not kidding at all. He knew that Ash had strong feelings for Akane and was not going to let them get married any time soon. Ranma knew the face of a man in love and he knew that a man in love would do anything to get the girl that he wanted and at any cost-even ratting out his own friend to do it. Ranma knew that if anyone would give him Akane, even if it meant taking a life, he would do it for her so he understood Ashtryck's situation all too well. But Nabiki was completely behind this whole thing.

"Umm Ranma, I just remembered that I told Ash that I would go to the park with him later today so..I need to go."

"You never go to the park with me." he said jealous and angry all in one.

"Well you never asked. Sorry I really need to do and get ready." She gave him a quick kiss and dashed off.

Ranma was watching her as she left and smiled. Then he heard footstep come around the corner and stopped. He turned his head and saw Kasumi. She had her normal smile on her face but it seemed different to Ranma some how.

"Wassup Kasumi?"

"Ranma do you mind if I could talk to you about something for a second? It's really important."


	4. What Trust?

"Well, are you sure that it was okay for you to let Akane go somewhere alone with Ash?" she started.

"You're calling him that too Kasumi? And no not really but I just have to trust that he won't go against me when it comes to Akane. I guess we kinda established a kind of respect for each other if you could call it that." Ranma smiled at the thought of thinking about Akane and how she would never betray him for any reason.

"Well first I want to admit that I was the one that asked my father to call of the engagement between those two. I just wanted Akane to be happy and all my father needed was one person to abject to the whole thing to call it off and honestly between me and you, he sees you as the perfect one for Akane. It's like the two of you balance one another. You know what I mean?"

"Yeah but at times i feel like she could do better than me but then I realize that I'm lucky just to have her in my life."

Kasumi was overjoyed for them and it was a shame that her own sister was willing to take that from them and sleep like a baby at night. Kasumi had a sudden knot in her chest and it was the pain that she felt fro Ranma and Akane. How they can't really be together the way they want to be. Peacefully and happy but they have to go through all of this crap with Nabiki and it sucks.

"Well Ranma there is something that I know that will help you out a little more. I heard Nabiki say that she was going to make Akane have an 'accident'. I didn't completely understand what she meant but I just knew that I had to tell you right away."

Ranma grabbed Kasumi but her shoulders and was wanting more out of her. He needed to know more and he felt that she knew more than she was letting on but in truth, she only knew that of what he just told her. Ranma was desperate for information at this point and just about anything was great to help him out.

"Kasumi, do you remember anything else that she might have said? Anything at all would be able to help." She shook her head in disappointment.

"I'm sorry Ranma, that's all I know." He let go of her and sighed at the fact that he thought he was going to get a lot more info about Nabiki and her stupid plan. But what Nabiki just told him was enough for him at this point.

"Thank you for that information anyway Nabiki, it was a bigger help than you think. Now I'm just going to figure out what does this acci- oh crap...Kasumi, I need to go. Thanks again."

Ranma dashed away as fast as he could. He that Nabiki was going to use Ashtryck to cause Akane to have an accident or something. Ranma felt stupid for thinking that he could finally have some type of trust in him but he guesses that he was wrong. He was searching every single park in the town until he came to to one that he noticed the two of them were sitting on a park bench together. Ranma figured that he would just stick around unnoticed ands just keep an eye on them. In the end, he still can't trust Ashtryck, not even if he was watching him.


	5. Ashtryck's warning part two

Akane was sitting next to Ashtryck who was unbelievably quite. Akane didn't know why he was and she didn't know why he wanted to bring her here. She could think of many reasons why but then again, Ash could be one of the most unpredictable people in the world. He was leaned over with his fingers locked to one another and his chin was resting on his locked fingers. He looked at Akane and quickly cut his eyes away from her.

Now she was really wondering what was going on. He had a sharp and serious look in his eyes and it scared her a little bit but she didn't show it. Ash was going to to just come out and tell her the truth just as he always has but considering how he feels about Akane he thought that he was going to be easy about it.

"I was suppose to bring you here and have a good time then when you least expect it, I was suppose to make you fall and leave you to get run over by some truck driver. Hint: I was **suppose **to."

Akane was shocked to hear this and that he would agree to do such a thing to her. She thought that she and Ash had established some type of friendship but for him to want to do such a thing to her was something that she never thought that he would ever do.

"I brought you here because I'm going to tell you the same thing that I told Ranma earlier but I'll tell you with more detail."

He moved closer to her and put his arm around her and Ranma was seeing all of this. He wanted to go over there and tear him limb from limb but he managed to keep himself under control and just continue to be quiet and watch them until he does something worst than this.

"Do you remember what I told Ranma today?" Just then, that whole thing started playing in her head like an old black and white move as if the camera is zoomed in on the stars face as he is going to say his famous line of the night **_""Since you don't want to listen to me, all I have to say is...when the birds are left alone in the nest, the older one will dominate all. Goodbye."_**

"Umm...yeah I do but I have to admit that even I didn't understand what you were trying to say."

He pulled her closer to him and of course Ranma saw this and was trying to contain himself about the whole situation. He was telling himself that it was all just in his imagination and that he didn't have thoughts about killing Ash for holding his fiancée the way he was.

"What I was saying was, Nabiki is going to get you when you leave expect it. Nabiki recruited me to help her but..never trust someone like me. Especially if no one knows me as well as you do. " he added with a smile.

He was right. The reason that he and Akane were so close was because he felt that she as the only one that he could really and truly trust with all of his secretes and he felt like she was the only one that he could count on for anything as far as keeping a secret and trusting.

"Why did you agree to it? Making shady deals with people isn't something that you would do Ash. I know you wouldn't do it." she asked wanted to know why he would do something that would involve hurting people on purpose.

"She told me that if I help her get Ranma away from you then you and I could run away into a sunset of my chose." He said making an arch gesture with her hands. "At first I thought that it would be could to be with the girl that I have strong feelings for but then I thought about how much it would hurt you. When I told Nabiki that I wasn't going to do but then she acted as if she didn't want to hear what I had to say. I want you to know that you and Ranma both need to watch your backs all the time and don't screw up around her at all, or anytime for than matter. And you have to keep this from Ranma from Ranma for a while. With the way he is he could rush in at any time and do something that would really cause her to get angrier at you and not him."

Ash leaned over and gave her a kiss on her forehead. Ranma was now at the point where he wanted to kill him. Ash had gone to far and he knew it. Ranma dashed from his unseen hiding spot and ran over to where they were. Just before Ash disappeared, he whispered something in Akane's ear. Her eyes widened as he spoke and she smiled. Just before Ranma had a chance to punch Ash into the next universe, he was gone.

Akane looked over at Ranma who was now in the place where Ash once was and gave him a glowing bright smile but along with that smile came tears right behind it. She was conflicted on why she was crying but she then understood when she recapped what Ash just told her.

"_Akane, you're lucky to have someone love you as much as him. Don't let anything like that slip away from you ever. Good luck in life with him."_

Ranma thought for a second that he did something wrong but when she threw her arms around him, he knew that those were tears of joy. He smiled and hugged her back and was happy to have her but, what if he lost her? What if there was a point of no return the either of them and everything just fell apart and shattered like glass?

Akane gave him a quick kiss and placed her forehead on his. She smiled at him then let out a smile and cute giggle.

"Don't you ever leave me. If you do I don't think I could bring myself to ever forgive you. Understand?"

He leaned closer to her and gave her a longer and deeper kiss than the one that he received from her. He as never going to leave his side but, why did it feel like they were going to be? Ranma let every negative thought leave his mind and was enjoying his time with Akane here and now.


	6. Can't Escape

"Ashtryck!" Nabiki's voice boomed. He was sitting outside with his arms folded and resting behind his head and his legs crossed at the ankles with a piece of wheat in his mouth. He was trying to relax but by him hearing the devils voice, it was not going to happen fro him at all.

"For what do I owe this visit from the evil one?" he asked sarcastically wishing that she would hurry up and leave really soon.

"Aww..you're to nice. Now tell me what happened-no-let me guess. She was sent to the hospital, she broke something or she-"

"...Is on a date with Ranma." he stated calmly. He cut his eyes slowly at her and was not surprised to see the look on her face at all. She was so easy to figure out it was pitiful.

"What!" Nabiki was going to him hoping that she would hear something like he was able to compromise with her and if not that then something like let her get hit by a truck or something.

"You heard me. I'm not going to let her get hurt because you want her guy. You seriously need to get a reality check because not everything has to be what Nabiki wants and if it was then this world might as well be hell on Earth. Just leave the two of them alone Nabiki. It's not like their going to leave eachothe-oh crap."

He saw the look on her face and her mouth was curling into the most evil smile that should have been illegal. Nabiki wanted Ranma and she was not going to stop at anything to get what she wanted. Even if Ash didn't get anything out of this deal, she didn't care. Al she knew was that she was in love with Ranma and that her little sister was not going to have the one thing in the world that she actually cared about more than money. She was going to get Ashtryck to do something very simple. To him it would have been something very simple and innocent but for Nabiki, it was something that would guarantee her plan to not fail.

"Ashtryck sweety, I need you to do me a favor." She said take hold of his face.

"What now! I'm sick of doing all of this carp for you and it's really making me-"

"I know your dirty little secret sweety and if you don't do as I say then Akane will hate you more than she hates me and you don't want that do you?" Ash wanted to say know but considering then fact that she does know, he can't risk her telling Akane. He was stuck between a rock and a really hard, hard place. He was at a loss and had not other choice. e held his head in shame but Nabiki supported him. She held his head back up and looked into his eyes.

"Don't worry your pretty little head, as long as you listen to me then you have nothing to worry about." But the only thing that was going threw his mind now was that if he did listen to her then he had everything to worry about. He was going to help her do something that he was going to regret but he hopes that Akane and Ranma can forgive him when this whole thing is over.


	7. Savor the moment

"What was that all about just now?"

"What are you talking about? You're the one that jumped over here as if you were superman or something. I didn't do anything."

"Don't act like that with me, woman." Ranma said in a questioning voice.

"Whatever Ranma. You did just what Ashtryck said you would do. He told me that you would follow us but I told him that he was just being to worried about us being alone but, I guess he was right." she said in a very teasing yet taunting voice.

"I only followed you because Kasumi told me that she overheard something about you having an accident so I came to make sure that he didn't do anything like that. I came because I care about you, not because you were alone with him or anything."

Akane blushed from hearing Ranma's words. She loved how so uptight and overprotective he could be about her but it was just a funny way that he was showing that he loved her. Just then she had the urge to tell him what was going on but she told Ash that she wouldn't so she didn't. Even though she was keeping this secret from him, she figured that he was going to figure it out soon enough.

"Ranma, calm down. Do I look like I've had an accident at all to you?" She stood up and stretched out her arms at her sides in front of him. Ranma pulled her into his lap and held her tightly. His head was resting lightly on her chest. She smiled at him and ran her fingers back and forth in his hair.

"I was really worried about you." he started "If something really did happen to you, I think I might have gone insane or something."

"Ranma, look at at me," she lifted his head and met his gaze. "Do you really think that I was going to let something happen to me? Think about it."

He smiled. Akane was capable of handling herself but, at times, she may need his help. That was his biggest fear that she wouldn't be able to help her when she could help herself. But she was okay and she was hear in his arms where she should be. He reached his neck out and she leaned down and they kissed. They were in sync and just about in perfect harmony. Akane felt like something was wrong and pulled away from the kiss.

"Akane, what's wrong?" she had a grim look on her face that scared him and he was more worried than ever.

"Ash..I think something is wrong with Ash." she jumped out of his arms and was heading to find Ashtryck. Before she could really get anywhere. He'd grabbed her by her arm with a look of anger painted on his face.

"What is up with you and him? Why did you care so much about him?"

"Because I care about my friends Ranma, if you would please let me, I need to make sure he is okay."

"If you go Akane, you might regret it."

"The only thing that I'll regret is if I don't go. Ranma, I'm sorry." She torn away from Ranma and ran back to her place and was looking for Ash. She eventually found him in a room and it looked as if he was thrown into a corner like a piece of trash. He saw her and tried to lift his head to speak but couldn't and it was too late for Akane at this point and Ashtryck would never forgive himself for what happened.


	8. Words of a jealous man?

"AKANE!" Ashtryck rose from the bed in a rush and was franticly searching for Akane, then he realized that he was in an actual hospital. He didn't know what to do and he just fell to the floor and cursed himself, he should have kept it from happing to her and there was nothing he could hated himself from not at least keeping the girl that he liked safe.

Just then, Ranma walked into the room and he was afraid that he was going to do something worst than what was already done to him in the first place. At this point for the first time in his life, he saw actually scared of something other than is very own power, it was the fact that the guy that he calls friend...will soon become his enemy.

"Ashtryck, we need to talk." Ranma said calmly. Ash fell to his knees and hands and was beginning to beg for his forgiveness.

"Ranma...I never meant for that to happen to Akane. All I wanted to do was protect her...that's all. I'm so sorry." Ranma raised an eyebrow in confusion at him then he realized what he was talking about. Ranma help Ashtryck up and helped him back onto the bed.

"That's what I came here to talk to you about. You've been here about four days now and Akane is fine. Nothing happened to her."

"But..I saw it. I saw the ax swing and I saw her fall."

"You did see her fall and the ax did swing at her but it got me instead, I got a pretty deep wound on my arm but she didn't even say a word of thanks to me. All she was concerned about was getting to you. She hasn't spoken to me in days and it's because I didn't want her around you. The guy that she calls a dear friend to her."

Ranma gave him a cold stare and Ashtryck didn't like it at all. Ranma was searching him up and down to figure out why or what is there that Akane likes about him so much. What was he doing right that Ranma was doing completely wrong?

"So I guess you;re not going to ask about why I was found in the corner of a room with the living hell beat out of me...?"

Ranma didn't reply. He was sitting there thinking to himself about the hard realization that he just discovered about himself that he even finds hard to believe himself but that's how reality was. Nothing pretty and nothing sugar-coated no matter how painful it was.

Ranma was jealous of Ashtryck.

"Ranma, have you guys found Nabiki yet?" Ranma was suddenly alarmed and was willing to put his feelings aside to talk to him about Nabiki.

"No why?" He asked raising an eyebrow

"Well, the reason that you found me the way that I was, was because I told her that I didn't want to have anything more to do with her plans. I wanted out and she told me that the only way out was to pay with my life. She hired a bunch of goons to literally beat me to hell. I've never had so many broken bones in my body ever. Ranma, I was only doing it to protect you and Akane, man"

Ranma picked him up by his collar and was so mad to the point where her was bitting down on his teeth. Anger was embedded in his eyes greatly to where you could see where his hate was for Ashtryck

"No one asked for your help! I never wanted you here in the first place! If you really want to help me and Akane then how about staying out of our lives for good!"

"Ranma!"

He turned and saw Akane in tears. She was then more angry and disappointed in Ranma then she had ever been.

"Ranma..I think it would be better if you would leave instead of him..."

Ranma let him go and he stared to walk to the door. Before he left, as he passed by Akane, he whispered something in her ear that he will soon in the future later regret more than anything. Leaving Akane there with nothing to say, he left that day realizing who he really was.

A jealous man.


	9. Anything could happen

_"Why don't you marry him instead..."_

The last words that Ranma left for Akane. It's been a week now since she's seen him and she has heard nothing from him. Ashtryck was fine and was back on his feet and acting like his normal self again. Akane managed to put a smile on her face for him but he was not a stupid man.

Akane was in the dojo training alone like she always did to get her mind off of whatever was bothering her. Ashtryck was standing in the closed doorway watching her and see still has not even noticed him once yet. He was wondering what was going on in her head ever since Ranma was at the hospital with them. He remembers her crying so much that night. She thought that he was asleep but he couldn't sleep at all knowing that she was in so much pain. He kept his distance from her to let her cool her head but, looks like she won't let it pass. Ash decided that he was not going keep siting here like he has for the past two hours and he was just going to make his presence known.

"..Ahem.."

Akane stopped punching her punching bag and noticed him. She was wondering how long her was there and why.

"How long have you been here?" she asked him with an arched eyebrow and a half smile.

"Long enough. Akane if there's something on your mind...you know I'm here to listen to what you gotta say."

"I don't want to talk about anything-"

"What did he say?" he asked cutting her off. He stood up and walked to her. She was standing her ground but was not prepared for what he was about to do. He pulled her into his arms and despite how much he was still in pain, nothing compared to how much pain she was in and was keeping it all to her self.

"Akane..talk to me. What did Ranma say to make you this upset? Tell me." he whispered to her softly.

Akane broke out into tears and didn't care who heard her. She wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face in his chest. She loved how she could come to him to vent about anything but this was something that she thought was only a trick of her mind.

"He..he told me...he told me to marry you..instead of him...Ash.." she looked up to him with her eyes over flowing with tears. "...Why would he say something..like that to me...he knows I love him so...why...Ash tell me why..."

Ashtryck only knew one thing to say to her at this point. She might not like it, but he was going to tell her anyway

"...Because he knows that I love you and he feels like you and me...are too close to be**_ just_** friends."

"But you and I...we are friends..."

"According to him, it's something more. Him being gone for a whole week now shows that he was serious. So, " He was playing with a piece of her hair and he smiled at her.

"Why don't we make his final words come true, babe?"


	10. Something I do to regret

Ranma was walking around and was trying to find himself and get his head together. He was regretting every word that he said to Akane and he realized that those very words hurt a lot more to him than she will ever feel. He needed to find out how he was going to make for his stupid mistake that seemed almost impossible to fix. The reason that he was over in the next town was because he heard that Nabiki might be there so he decided to check it out. Also, he thought that he and Akane would need some space from one another. It was better this way.

He was sitting on a park bench when familiar looking woman wearing a hat and a long brown coat with glasses was walking past him. He stuck his foot out and just as he wanted, she fell face first. She was mad and she stood up ripping the broken glasses from her face and looked at the guy on the bench not realizing who it was because he too was in a disguise.

"Do you mind? Tripping a lady is really ru-"

"What real lady tricks a manipulates everyone until they are completely wrapped around her dirty finger?" Right away she knew that it was her darling Ranma's voice. No doubt about. She smiled and sat next to him as if they were the best of friends.

Ranma was focused on one thing and that was to see how much info he could get out of her. He was not going to put his relationship with Akane in even more trouble because of her and her scheming against them. Ranma's emotions were all in a melting pot at this moment. He was feeling so many things that he didn't even have one emotion to balance out the other one. If Nabiki didn't give him the type of answers that he wanted...he didn't know what he would do to her.

"Alright start talking, what are you planning to do and you better give me some straight answers." Ranma demanded

"You don't have to be so mean about it Ranma baby. You could have just asked nicely. I'll give you whatever you want." So stroked the side of his face with all types of thought going through her mind. Ranma grabbed her hand and was willing to break it because he was not here to play with her.

"I don't have time for games...talk now." She snatched her hand away and sighed. She had no other chose but to do what he said at this point.

"Fine, you really want to know why I'm doing all of this? It's because I fell for you way before Akane did. I fell in love with you and you didn't want to look to any other girl but Akane. I was never going to give up you and I was determined to make you mine no matter what. I thought that I would finally have you the day I confessed to you but once you have your mind set on something, you don't even think to change it. I want Akane out of the picture and the best way to do it was to get Ashtryck to help me out."

"He would just help you out Nabiki because I know him a lot better than you do. What are you hold against him to make you do his dirty work?"

"Do you really want to know? I mean, I might hurt your _friendship_."

"Tell me now."

"Alright no need to get fussy. Remember when you and Ashtryck got into that huge fight when he first showed up?"

"How could I forget? What was your point?"

"Well, Ashtryck comes from a very strict family. He needed to marry into a family with promise and because he is part European, he has an even higher standard than anyone else in his family. So, his family decided that he would marry into our family and just as you did, he got to pick his bride and that was Akane. Since she was suppose to get married to you, Ashtryck thought that it would be better if he just got rid of you all together. The night after he beat the crap out of you, he tried to switch the medicine that was made for you with oder-less and strong poison. I saw him from the shadows and if I didn't rush in after he left to get rid of it, you would have been dead within 15 minutes after taking in. You would have died slow and painless but...I wasn't going to let that happen. He was willing to kill you to marry Akane."

In a way, Ranma didn't know how to take that. He would have never been able to see Ashtryck wanting to kill him but then again, who says that he won't? Ranma didn't know who to trust anymore. He was torn by his own hurt feelings and by all of the pain and deceit that was all around him,and he had to come to terms with the fact that Nabiki has been honest with him all this time and now is not the right time to even think to lie to him. Ranma was trusting Nabiki rather than anyone else right now.

"How do you know all of this about him? How would he had know what type of poison to use to kill me that way?" Ranma pondered on his own question but Nabiki had the answer already.

"Because he's from a well known assassin family. He knows how to kill for whatever the reason and the first time you guys ever fought, he was barely using any type of effort to fight you. You fighting him was like a master fighting someone who has no type of fighting skills at all. So by far, he exceeds you in fight more than you will ever know."

"Nabiki, what do I have to do to stop you from hurting Akane? What can I do to keep you away from us?" Ranma pleaed.

"I would love to help you out Ranma baby but I'm not running the show right now, Ash and I switched places until I get back. If I were you, I would be more concerned about what my fiancée is willing to do for _me._"

Ranma grabbed Nabiki by her shoulders with all his might. She was worried about what he was going to do next and so was he. He was not going to hit her but at this point anything could happen.

"Nabiki. I'll...I'll do anything. Please just leave Akane alone please." Nabiki smiled at his and he let her go. she stood up and stretched out her hand to him. He took it and he didn't know where they were going but he was not going to feel the same afterwards.

"Akane...I'm sorry." He whispered sadly to himself.


	11. Change of plans

Ranma, like an idiot, followed Nabiki to the place that she was staying at. Nabiki smiled as she gave him a quick glance behind her to see his troubling face. This was something that she loved to see on his face. Pain. Hurt. Agony. All of the emotions that she felt every time she thought about her not being able to be with worst, that he didn't even thing about them ever being an 'us' but, why would he when he's in love with the woman of his dreams?

"You don't have to be so quiet Ranma. Talk to me me." she said in a low and sweet voice.

"Like I want to say anything to you in the first place." he replied with anger deep in his voice.

"It was your idea to do this so I'm not the one to blame for your actions Ranma." she teased him in the wring way.

He snatched away from her and was looking at her in a fury of anger. He had his teeth clenched and so were his fist. He knew that what he was doing was wrong but for her to bring it up to him just made him even worst of a person on the inside and out.

"You're the reason that I'm in this boat! You're the reason that Akane and I can't be happy! It's your fault for everything that is happening to us."

"Tell me, was I the one that made her mad a few days ago and then disappeared later? Tell me, did I do such things to my own sister? Besides trying to get rid of her to get to her boyfriend I think I've been a pretty good sister in the long run. But you Ranma, you hurt her a lot more than I thought you could. " she smirked as Ranma calmed his expression. He had to admit defeat there. That was all him an he was not going to deny that he was the reason that Akane is crying and grieving at this moment. It was because of him.

"Didn't think so. Shall we continue?"

Ranma followed her once again and very soon they had reached the very place where they were suppose to be. They walked into a dark room and Nabiki closed the door behind them without turning on the lights. She then smiled because she finally had him right where she wanted him. Ranma felt that something was not right but he was with Nabiki so of course nothing was right. But this was different, this was a different type of feeling.

"Sorry Ranma baby but I've got other things to do but you've got friends here to keep you company while I'm gone."

She switched on the light on Ranma was ambushed by many men. They tied him down to the floor with chains and began to to all come at him at once with everything they wasn't feeling pain from him wounds that were own his body, but the pain of him possibly not making it out of there alive to be able to see Akane again.

Nabiki was walking away from the place and gave herself another was proud of the mess that she was creating.

"Ranma baby, you should know that I'm not that type of girl, and as if I would let Ashtryck have control of anything, he can't even control his own emotions. You better hurry and find a way back before something happens to Akane." and she kept on walking. Nabiki's tables have turned somewhat, now her mind set was that if she couldn't have Ranma, her sister won't either.


	12. Questioning you

Ashtryck was staring deep into Akane's eyes and didn't blink or look away for a second while holding her hands tightly hoping that he would hear the answer that he wanted. He needed and wanted to know what her was hoping that she would forget about Ranma and just marry him instead. He knew that Akane needed someone like him anyway and not someone that was stupid and stubborn as Ranma was. She broke the gaze and looked away from him.

" I still love Ranma!" she blurted.

"I'm sorry Ash. I know that you really do have strong feelings for me but...I still love Ranma. No matter how much we fight or even if he says the worst things to me at times, I can't help but think about all of the other things I like about him that dominate all of the bad about him. I'm sorry."

"No. You should feel sorry for yourself. Do you really think he's coming back? How long has he been gone now? Days Akane and he hasn't called or try to contact you. If he really loved you, he would have come back by now."

"He does love me! I know he does!"

"How do you know Akane! Actions speak a lot louder than words and his actions don't mean crap! Hell, he could be with someone else right now and you would still believe that Ranma loves you!"

Akane suddenly slapped him as hard as she was able to. He fell backwards regretting what he just said a little but not enough to take it back. He then looked at Akane and she was crying silent tears. They fell on her face that seemed to have become almost emotionless.

"You're right. I would think that he loves me the same, I always do. I never once doubted Ranma for a slip second. I've alway trusted him at some point and never thought twice about anything he did. I never did maybe it was because I was in love with him and I never did anything behind his back. I wanted to believe that he is still the same Ranma that I know and love."

" But how can he if he does things like this, Akane..." he stood up and placed his hands on her shoulders. " You need to think about other things like maybe, you and Ranma weren't really meant to be together."

"We were and I know it Ash, I do!"

"Prove it to me right now. How do you know that? Do you know how many people are not together to this day that thought they were meant to be? A lot and you and Ranma could be just like those people too, Akane."

She was silent and didn't say a word. Ash took her into his arms and didn't want to let her go. She then came to the hard realization that maybe she and Ranma weren't meant to be together after all. She wrapped her arms around him retuning his feeling finally like he'd always hoped.

"Don't worry, I'll make you forget about him and I won't ever be like him." he whispered softly.


	13. What happened?

"Nabiki needs to try a lot harder than that if she wants to get rid of me." Ranma said as he stated walking away from the pile of guys that Nabiki hired to get rid of him. He was now racing to get back to Akane. There was no tell what Nabiki would do but now his biggest worry was Ashtryck. He was racing back to town and was going to get Akane to realize that he dose love her and that he would never leave her side then he thought...what if he was too late...what if Akane was going to marry Ash...what if she didn't love him anymore after what he said to her? H shook his head and was getting rid of all of the bad and any negative thought in his mind. His heart was racing like drum but that didn't stop his determination of getting back to her.

"I need to tell her how I feel. I need to get her to marry me now...I have to no matter what."

Nabiki and Ash were sitting in a room together. She was wanting to know what was going on while she was gone. He didn't want to talk about it at all. He was hoping that things would go his way but that didn't happen at all. He was not going to talk to her at all even if he was just going to sit there the whole time staring at the floor, he would.

"So what happened Ash?"

Nothing

"Hello? I'm talking to you."

Still nothing.

"Oh, so your going to give me the silent treatment or something?"

Nothing.

She was getting fed up with him not talking or anything. She was going to get answers out of him no matter what. She stood up and kicked him in his chest as hard as possible. She showed no mercy even when she saw him in so much pain. Now she was going to get answers out of him. But no mater what he was not going talk to her even if she killed him.

"I'll ask you this once more, what happened while I was gone?Or better yet,what did you screw up?"

He said nothing as he did before but then he thought that there might not be any harm in telling the truth but then what was the point of him not wanting to say anything in the first place? Maybe it was the fact that he felt some-what a little embarrassed by it.

"Nothing happened. Just leave it at that."

"If nothing really didn't happen then why would I just leave it there?"

"Why do you have to know everything that happened? It's not like you care anyway."

"If I didn't care then I wouldn't ask."

"People ask about things that they don't care about."

"I'm not other people because I care."

He sat up and then took a deep sigh. He was going to tell her what happened but only what he wanted to tell her. Nothing more but maybe a lot less.


	14. Ranma returns

"Fine, you really want to know what happened?"

"Why else would I be asking?"

"Well, it kinda stared off like this,"

Flashback

_"I still love Ranma!" _

_I tried so hard to contradict everything that she was telling me about Ranma but it didn't work. I even said something about him truly loving her or them not really being meant to be together, but nothing worked. Then I said  
><em>

_"Prove it to me right now. How do you know that? Do you know how many people are not together to this day that thought they were meant to be? A lot and you and Ranma could be just like those people too, Akane. Don't worry, I'll make you forget about him."_

_It really did seem like she was really considering everything I said but while she was hugging me, she was thinking about him._

_"I'm sorry, but there is nothing you can do to ever make me change my mind nor take his place. I only want Ranma and no one else. I can't love anyone as much as I love him and Ash, you and he are two completely different people."_

_I let go of her and I thought to myself, Wow. No matter how much I may want her or how much I want to be with her, that was never going to happen. She started walking away from me and as I went to reach out for her, she turned around a slapped me.  
><em>

_"Think of that as a wake up for you. Don't ever try to convince me to ever give up on Ranma or you will regret it."  
><em>

_I watched her walk away from me and all I could do was watch. She doesn't want me going anywhere near her or anything._

"So basically, she dissed you and told you to stay away from her?"_  
><em>

"Basically."

All of a sudden, Nabiki started laughing like there was no tomorrow. She was thinking that it was really something serious but it was something stupid, petty, and just plain embarrassing all at once. Ash stared at her with a face that was blank but on the inside he was more than mad.

"Anyway off that subject, what happen with you and Ranma?"

She suddenly stopped laughing and look away from him. She to, was not successful in what she wanted either but she just thought it was fun to laugh at his misery.

"Well lets just say that he didn't exactly agree with me so, I just got rid of him."

Ash began laughing in the same manner that she did and she found it quite annoying.

"So let me guess, you had other people do it for you?"

"You got that right babe." she said with a smile.

Ash all of a sudden heard pounding footsteps coming in he a Nabiki's direction. He stood up and was waiting for him to coming running through the door. He knew that it was Ranma. It had to be Ranma. Nabiki couldn't get anyone to handle Ranma and you would think she would know that by now. The door slid open and Ash's lips began to curl into a smile. It was Ranma. Even he looked a little beat up, he still looked like he was in pretty good shape. He walked over to Ash and grabbed him by his collar and lifted him off the ground as if he was lifting up a sheet of paper.

Nabiki was surprised to see him alive and she thought that the guys that she hired would take care of him with no problem.

"So good to see that you're still alive Ranma."

"Shut up. I think you and I need to have a long talk right now."

Ash smiled. He was thinking the same thing as Ranma. "I was just thinking the same thing. We need to end this thing now."


	15. Rethinking  my reasons

Ranma and Ash began walking around the dojo side by side and for a while neither of them didn't say a thing. It was complete and utter-less silence. Ranma was making sure that he had all of his thoughts together before he began to talk to him. He didn't want to seem as if he was just going to start throwning random things at him and seem as if he dosent' know what he is saying or talking about at all. He wanted to be sure of everything that he was going to say to Ash was going to be nothing but the full and honest truth. Nothing less than that.

All of a sudden when they were walking, Ash stops and just stands there gazing up at the sky and Ranma was confused. Why did he just stop out of nowhere? Was he going to attack him or something? Ranma was always on guard but right now he was calm and not tense at all. Ash closed his eyes and let the breeze flow through his skin and dance in his hair. He looked as if he was at peace with something or, was this going to be his confession of giving Akane to Ranma? That was something that seemed close to impossible in Ranma's mind. Why would he do that if he claims that he loves her? Soon, Ash let out a deep breath and looked at Ranma and was ready to speak to him and he was ready to listen.

"Ranma, you are one heck of a lucky guy, you know that? It seems as if you have everything that you could possibly want right here in the palm of your hands and yet you don't even treat it as precious as it really is."

"What are you talking about?" Ranma asked raising his eyebrow.

"Look around you!" Ash stretched his arms out and raised his voice. " This is going to belong to you one day! This beautiful and immaculate home will be yours. You have a fiance that is willing to bend over forwards and backwards for you and yet it seems as if you want more and more. It's as if nothing will satisfy you."

"What's wrong with wanting more at times! Everyone at some point wants more and more in life. Why do I have to be the greedy one?"

"Because you know a greedy man when he has the world and then he wants the universe. Ranma...you have everything that you will ever need in life. Why want more?"

Ranma just then thought about what he was saying. He was greedy in a way and he was to proud to admit it even to himself. He stood with his back against a wall and and slowly slid down it. Here he was trying to comeback and set him straight but instead he was making him rethink himself and evaluate himself all over again.

"Why are you asking me all of this stuff now? What's your point?"

Ash took a deep breath and slowly exhaled while sitting next to Ranma. He glanced at Ranma and then back out to the sky. He was going to tell him his reasoning but Ash was not going to like was even he was going to say.

"I swear I'm going to regret this pretty soon." He said while rubbing the back of his head. "Ranma, Do you know how much Akane loves you? Honestly think about it."

"No. I don't. I might have a thought but nothing solid that I can be sure about."

"Dude, she loves you in a way that I didn't think anyone could. I tried everything in my power to get her to love me and no matter what I said or did, it just made it seem as if she just loved you more and more. That's what I call a keeper."

"She deserves better than me. I left her without even saying much of anything and the things that I've said to the two of you should just..." Ranma felt his face was on fire when he was punched in the face by Ash.

"There you go again with that crap! Do you not understand that she loves you for you! She doesn't care about your flaws alone. She just wants all of you Ranma. I'm just her friend and that is all I will ever be."

"You were there when I wasn't for her. I caused her so much pain."

Ash sighed with annoyance. Clearly, he was not getting the point.

"Do I have to punch you in the face again? Ranma, you love her. She loves you. How much more simple do I have to put it. C'mon you're killing me right now with how stupid you are at times."

"What is that suppose to mean?"

"I'm giving up Ranma! I have given up on ever thinking that I will ever be with Akane because she is super madly in love with you! Now. Do. You. Understand?"

"Yeah. I do."

Ash helped Ranma stand up and they started walking again.

"That's good. But I was kinda hoping I could punch you again ha ha." Ash said and Ranma playfully punched him in the shoulder as they were walking.

"Ranma, don't make me regret this too much, man."

"I won't. I promise."


	16. Something that was always there

Ash was walking to Nabiki's room and walked in without knocking. He didn't care but Nabiki did. She looked surprised to see him and was ready to fire off so many words at him and call him so many things that she could think of. She didn't say anything because she saw the look in his eyes, that were serious, and that were also full of swords that had her name written all over them. She put a sly smile on her face and sat with her legs crossed on her bed and with her chin propped on her fist waiting for him to say something. She was trying to seem calm and cool about the situation but she was actually worried about what was going to happen.

"I'm done." was all he said.

"And? You're just going to give up like that? I thought you loved Akane?" she teased.

"I do but I know when not to get in the middle of two people's relationship...or at least...now I do." he said looking at the floor with his fist tightly clutched. "I feel so stupid for listing to you Nabiki. What was I thinking? I should have known better but I thought you were helping me the whole time but you were just in it for yourself."

"I was helping you and myself at the same time, duh"

"Me hurting your sister to get to her fiancee is not helping me and you know it!" he yelled. "In the end, we both lost out so I'm done with this Nabiki.

"So you gave up? Just like that? You really and truly are weak, babe. I was hoping to have more fun with you and messing with your emotions a little." she sighted.

"I'm not the weak man. You're the pathetic bitch." he said with a straight face.

"What did you just say?" she growled.

He stepped closer to her and she seemed as if she was not afraid of him but on the inside she was terrified of what he was going to do to her. Ash was not the type to easily forgive people and she just so happen to be one of those people at the moment. She closed her eyes and was waiting for what he was going to do next. But what happened next surprised her more than ever. He leaned forward and softly kissed her cheek. She was thinking that it was a dream or something but it was real.

"You need to learn something Nabiki," he began. "You can't force someone to love you. It takes time and a lot to make two people fall in love with each other. All of the hell that you put Ranma and Akane through only made them love each other a lot more than before. So, I want to thank you. Because if you didn't make me do all of that, I wouldn't have learn something so important, I just wish that you could learn the same thing I did and take it to hear."

"But...I love him...you don't understand...Ash...no one does..." she let tears stream down her face and Ash was kneeling in front of her and wiped away her tears as she cried. He lifted her face to meet his gaze and he smiled brightly at her. She was no longer worried about what he was going to do or say but instead, she wanted him to stay there with her by her side and comfort her.

"I do understand but, he's not the one for ya babe. I'm sure that we will both find the right people for us in life." he winked. Nabiki blushed and smiled and nodded at him.

"I guess you did help me, when I was only using you."

"Not everyone learns the same lesson the same way." he shrugged. In the blink of an eye, he was holding her in his arms and she was yet surprised by him.

"I'm here for you." he whispered.

She hugged him back tightly and cried on his shoulder. Not because she knew that she would never be with Ranma but because she figured that she could have had a guy to except her flaws and all like Ash is right now. She was at a lost and she gained something great in the process.

"Thank you. So much." She said to him.


	17. Nothing Broken

Ranma was walking to Akane's room and before he could knock on the door he got really nervous. He didn't exactly what to say to say to her and he didn't know what was the best way to began talking to her. He wanted to just come out and say what was on his mind but he found that really hard to do. He took a deep breath and before he knew it he placed three knocks on her door.

"May I come in Akane?" he asked from the other side of the door.

"Ranma..?" he heard her say.

She flew out of her bed and right to the door. When she opened the door, she wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his chest. She was more than happy to fainally see him back and with her and for once, her sister was out of the picture.

"I missed you." She said

"I know." He replied

"You left me for a long time."

"I know."

"You left me here...with another guy."

"I know..."

Before he could react quick enough, she punched him threw a wall out of pure rage. He sat up and was wondering why she was so mad. I mean, he knew why she was mad but he didn't think that he deserved to get hit for it, then again, maybe she could have hit him harder for what he put her through but there was no way that he was going to tell her that. She walked over to him with eyes full of fire and fist ready to fire.

"You think that I was just gong to let you get away with something like that?!"

"N-no! I was going to come back! I swear!"

"That's not the point!"

She raised her fist to hit him again and Ranma closed his eyes but he was ready for the punch and all of the pain that was going to come with it. But, when he looked again, her fist was still in the air, but the only thing that was hitting him were her tears and for him, that was harder than any punch or kick that he would take. He pulled her down into his arms and let her cry on him.

"Ranma...I could...have easily left..."

"Akane you know that I love you and you know that I would never do anything to hurt you."

"But you did...you did hurt me..."

"I know and I know that I need to make up for it. What do you want me to do?"

She looked up at him with an odd smirk on her face along with a raised eyebrow. Ranma didn't know if he should be worried or if he should just take it as a sign of forgiveness.

"You really want to know what you can do?"

Duh, I just asked you that."

"Don't ever leave me again."

She kissed him softly and he kissed her back with his fingers dancing in her hair. He was not going to ever leave her again and he was never going to put her in a situation like that ever again. That was a promise that he made to himself and that was something that he as going to stick to. Akane meant the world to him and if he lost her then nothing else would matter to him, not even fighting or getting stronger would their lips parted, they gazed into each other's eyes for a while until Akane brightly smiled at him. He was very curious why.

"What?" Ranma asked.

"I'm trying to figure out what Nabiki sees in you." she giggled.

"That's like asking what do I see in you. You can't explain it sometimes."

"But what do you see in me?"

"Well under all of that tomboy and uncute shell, there is a very cute, kind, caring, and smart girl." That's what I see."

She blushed a bright crimson from his complement and was not expecting that. She was taken by surprise but she loved it.

"I love you." she said taking his hand.

"I love you, too. And, I'll never leave you ever again.

Ranma and Akane went through many things but one thing that they knew for sure that their relationship became much, much strong when everyone around them were trying to keep them apart and broken.

END.


End file.
